Tool holder



P 3, 1959 B, c. BROWN 2,903,138

' TOOL HOLDER Filed May 9, 1955 INVENTOR Barne/I C Brawn BY pbwm g'ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofifice 2,903,138 Patented Sept. 8, 1959"2,903,138 TOOL HOLDER Barnett C. Brown, Stillwater, Minn. ApplicationMay 9, 1955, Serial No. 506,806

4 Claims. (Cl.21*1'60) This invention relates to an improvement in toolholding devices and deals particularly with a support useful insupporting tools used by machinists and plumbers while using anapparatus for cutting, threading, and otherwise working upon a pipe.

Various types of pipe machines have been made which are portable so thatthey can be moved from job to job. Most of these machines are supportedupon four diverging legs made of pipe or rod and the top portion of themachine is ordinarily only large enough to support the working parts ofthe apparatus. As a result, there is usually no provisions made forsupporting tools which are used in combination with the machine. It isan object of the present invention to provide a holder for these toolsso that they are in a convenient position for use.

A feature of the present invention resides in the provision of a toolholder which can quickly and easily be attached to the machine orremoved therefrom. The holder includes a rack for supporting the varioustools used in conjunction with the machine. The rack also includes apair of diverging channel members which are arranged in opposedrelationship. These diverging channel members are arranged to fit overtwo spaced legs on the machine. Thus, by holding the tool support aboveits final position and by lowering the support, the channels engageopposite sides of the two legs and are held from further downwardmovement by engagement with the legs.

A feature of the present invention lies in its simplicity ofconstruction. The channels have an inner surface which is generallysemicylindrical in shape and the radius of this surface is approximatelyequal to the radius of the legs of the machine. As a result, whenlowered into position the channels snugly fit about the legs so as tosupport the rack in a horizontal position. However, the entire devicemay be removed by merely lifting the apparatus until the channels aredisengaged from the supporting legs.

These and other objects and novel features of the invention will be moreclearly and fully set forth in the following specification and claims.

In the drawings forming a part of the specification-- Figure 1 is aperspective view of a pipe machine showing the tool holder in positionthereupon.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of the tool holder removed from themachine.

Figure 3 is an end elevational view of one end of the tool holder.

Figure 4 is an end elevational view showing the other end of the holder.

The pipe machine is indicated in general by the letter A, the details ofconstruction of the machine being omitted. For the purpose of thisinvention, it is only important to note that the machine includes anupper portion which is supported by a pair of rear legs 11 and 12 and apair of front legs 13 and 14. These legs diverge downwardly andoutwardly from the machine so as to provide a stable base for themachine. The legs 11 and 12 diverge from the machine at a greater anglewith respect to the vertical than the legs 13 and 14 in the particulartype of machine illustrated. Obviously, however, the legs can alldiverge at the same angle if it is preferred. l

The tool holder is best illustrated in detail in Figure 2 of thedrawings, and is indicated in general by the letter B. The tool holder Bincludes. a tool supporting rack which is in the form of an angle ironmember 15 having a vertical flange 16 and a horizontal flange 17extending laterally from the vertical flange 16. The flange 17 isprovided with a series of spaced notches 19 which may be of the samesize or which may be of varying sizes depending upon the particularnature of the tools to be supported.

At one end of the rack 15, I provide a trough shape member 20 which iswelded or otherwise affixed to the rear surface of the flange 16 so thatthe concave side of the channel faces inwardly toward the center of therack 15. A similar channel member 21 is welded or otherwise secured tothe opposite end of the flange 16 in opposed relation to the trough 20.This channel member 21 also is provided with its concave surfacedirected downwardly and inwardly.

As is best illustrated from an examination of Figure l of the drawings,the channels 20 and 21 are so positioned that when they are engaged withthe legs 13 and 11, the rack 15 is held in a generally horizontalposition. The channels 20 and 21 are angled outwardly at the same angleas the legs 13 and 11 and also the channel 21 is normally tiltedsomewhat with respect to the vertical flange 16 due to the wider spreadof the lower edge of the legs 11 and 12. In other words, when the toolholder is lowered into place, it rests by gravity upon the legs 11 and13 and is held from movement in any direction but upwardly by engagementof the channels 20 and 21 with the respective legs.

In the construction of the channels 20 and 21, these channels are of aninner diameter to snugly fit about the outer diameter of the legs 13 and11. Therefore, when the holder is in place, it cannot move forwardly,rearwardly, or sidewardly, and can only be removed by lifting itupwardly. When the rack is in place, the various tools such as C, whichare used in conjunction with the operations on the pipe can be supportedby the various notches 19.

When the pipe machine A is moved about from place to place, it hasnormally been necessary to find some table or other support on which thevarious tools may be placed so that they would be convenient to use.Such a support cannot always be found and it is sometimes necessary toplace the tools upon the floor and to pick up the various tools as theyare needed. With the present construction, it is only necessary toattach the rack to the legs 11 and 13 and to support the various toolsdirectly adjoining the pipe machine. When it is desired to use thetools, they are always readily accessible. At the end of the operation,the tools may be removed, the rack removed, and the pipe machine movedto a new location. If desired, it is even possible to transport themachine while the tools are suspended in place.

In accordance with the patent statutes, the principles of constructionand operation of the tool holding device have been described and whileit has been endeavored to set forth the best embodiment thereof, it isdesired to have it understood that obvious changes may be made withinthe scope of the following claims without departing from the spirit ofthe present invention.

I claim:

1. A pipe tool support for use upon a portable pipe machine having apair of diverging legs, the support comprising a rack, tool engagingelements on said rack, and opposed channels on said rack, the open sidesof said channels facing downwardly and inwardly said channels beingarranged to incline downwardly and outwardly at proper angle to embraceportions of said legs and to rest by gravity thereupon.

2. The structure described in claim 1 and in which the rack comprises anangle member having a generally vertical flange and'a generallyhorizontal flange.

3. The structure described in claim 1 and in which said tool engagingelements comprise notches in said rack.

4. A pipe tool support for use upon a portable pipe machine having apair of downwardly and outwardly diverging legs, the support including arack member having spaced notches therein designed to accommodate pipetools, and a pair of opposed channels attached at opposite ends of saidrack member, said channels extending downwardly and outwardly with theirconcave inner surfaces arranged at the same'angles as the legs of saidmachine and facing inwardly to embrace portions of said legs and tosupport said rack in a generally horizontal position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,063,961 Dreyer June 10, 1913 2,035,639 Davis Mar. 31, 1936 2,210,235Filbert Aug. 6, 1940 2,308,832 Roney et a1. Jan. 19, 1943 2,666,609Ingwer Jan. 19, 1954 2,734,638 Feldman Feb. 14, 1956

